


Just another coffee shop au

by 7years



Category: JBJ (Band), NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: I just wanted a coffee shop/café au, M/M, minor cameos from Nu'est members, watering the dry Minhyunbin tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-08 12:40:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15930635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/7years/pseuds/7years
Summary: This Minhyun must be new."Hyunbin-samchon…""Hmm?"Yeah, that would explain why he had never seen him before."Samchon.""Yes, Heejun?"He couldn't have missed such a tall, pretty, unfairly cute—"Hyunbin samchon! I want to go pee!"





	Just another coffee shop au

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: scattered usage of samchon (uncle). I actually find it kinda cringe-worthy but I ended up using it anyway so... you've been warned.
> 
> Also some inconsistent usage of the name suffix -ah and -ie.

"Hyunbin-samchon, I'm hungry."

Hyunbin looks down at the child holding his hand. The face he's looking at is pouting, but the eyes are wide and expecting. "Okay Heejun, we'll eat when we get home," Hyunbin promises. The grip on his hand tightens, slightly tugging it downwards.

"But I want to eat at a restaurant," the little guy says, dragging out the last word. Heejun had been using the word to mean any outside food outlet, as Hyunbin discovered two days ago when he asked for bread from the 'bread restaurant'.

"But we have food at home," Hyunbin tries to reason, crouching to match the boy's eye level, their hands still linked. "I'll cook something quick." He knows he can never compare to his cousin when it comes to cooking skills (though who can compete with mums anyway) but Heejun never complains about the food. "But if we eat at a restaurant, you don't have to cook!" Heejun counters with a bright smile. Hyunbin can't help but smile too, which Heejun sees as a sign to continue. "And then you don't have to clean! And then we can just play afterwards!" Taking Hyunbin's laughter as a yes, the boy pulls at Hyunbin's hand, impatient to start their pursuit.

 _Don't let him bully you,_  his cousin's words play in his mind as he lets himself be dragged.

Oh well.

"What do you want to eat, Heejun?"

What's the worst that could happen?

"Pizza!"

Okay, there's always the possibility of his cousin killing him.

"But we had pizza yesterday. Let's eat something else." There's no way he can get away with pizza two days in a row. "But I like pizza!" Heejun exclaims happily, bouncing a little as they walk, oblivious to the trouble they're going to get into. Hyunbin looks around for inspiration. "Why don't we try that restaurant?" He points to a familiar façade three stores away. He hadn't been there since his semester break and the café's limited but delicious lunch menu is looking pretty good in his mind.

The boy doesn't immediately reply but continues walking, the silence stretching until they get in front of the café.

"Shall we go in?"

"Okay…"

They barely take two steps inside when Heejun excitedly pulls Hyunbin to the display fridge. "Hyunbin-samchon! Cakes!" This might not be a good idea after all. But he bends down next to the boy anyway as they admire the display. The peach tart looks especially scrumptious today. And the opera cake too. This café always have the prettiest…

 

 

Pretty…

 

 

 

…cakes and pastries. Yes.

 

Hyunbin straightens up when their eyes meet. The café worker on the other side of the fridge straightens up too, wearing an amused smile while he looks at Heejun who now has both palms on the glass surface as he peers inside.

"Sorry," Hyunbin starts but the guy turns his face to Hyunbin, his smile widening. "No no, don't be sorry! He's not doing anything!" He gives a small, reassuring laugh. "Heejun-ah, do you want to eat here? They have spaghetti," Hyunbin asks his nephew, needing an excuse to turn his face away from the guy. Heejun's gaze is still fixed on the cakes but he nods in reply.

"Kwon Hyunbin! You didn't tell me you have a kid!" Hyunbin turns towards the familiar voice. "Minki-hyung!" Minki smooths down his apron as he comes out from behind the counter and goes to Heejun. "He's my cousin's son. He's staying with me for two weeks. Heejun-ah, say hi."

"Hi!"

Minki's face scrunches in delight as he squishes the boy's cheeks. "Hi! How old are you?"

"Five!"

"Five?" Minki gasps in surprise. "You're so big!" The big kid giggles at that, pleased with the observation. "Do you like staying with this uncle? Is he treating you well?"

"Yes!" Hyunbin feels a surge of pride at the confident exclamation, grinning gleefully before he can help it.

With his hands still holding on to Heejun's arms, Minki looks up towards Hyunbin expectantly. "Are you going to order, Hyunbin? Minhyun's waiting."

"Ah!" Hyunbin turns to the guy (Minhyun?) and laughs in embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry." Minhyun smiles good-naturedly. "No worries!"

 

\---

 

This Minhyun must be new.

"Hyunbin-samchon…"  
"Hmm?"

Yeah, that would explain why he had never seen him before.

"Samchon."  
"Yes, Heejun?"

He couldn't have missed such a tall, pretty, unfairly cute—

"Hyunbin samchon! I want to go pee!"

"What?" He turns to see his nephew squirming is his seat, his fork abandoned on the table.

"I want to go pee…"

"Right. Okay. Uhh…" The café doesn't have a public washroom but Heejun doesn't look like he can hold it in much longer. He takes the boy's hand and guides him back towards the counter where Minhyun  ~~has been at for the last 20 minutes~~  is. The guy smiles at them as he sees them approaching. "Excuse me… Minhyun..ssi."

"Please, you don't have to be so formal," Minhyun waves his hand a little for emphasis. "You call Minki, hyung, right? You can call me hyung too." And Hyunbin would've liked to give an equally sweet smile in response and maybe say something more charming than "Hyung, he needs to pee," but these are desperate times.

The uncle-nephew duo go inside the staff washroom together despite Heejun's insistence that he can do it himself. They are almost done when Hyunbin feels something soft brushes by his cheek.

Oh no. He helps Heejun wash his hands with as much composure as he could muster even as the fluttering around his head confirms his suspicion (and urgh it's the moth with the powdery wings too). Hyunbin grabs his nephew's hand and quickly exit, wildly flapping his other hand around him to shoo the bug away. He might or might not have uttered a little deep-voiced shriek along the way.

Minhyun's surprised face appears from the door that leads back to the dining room. "Are you alright?"

Well he was just mobbed by a moth in a cramped washroom and this person he sort of wants to leave a good first impression on might have just heard his embarrassing escape.

"Yeah we're alright!" Hyunbin tries to laugh his embarrassment away. "There was a bug in there. I was just surpri— _aah!_ " The bug apparently followed them out and is now fluttering about Hyunbin, the latter trying to swat it away with his hand. The creature hovers near the washroom door and Hyunbin is thinking of making a run for it when a slipper lands on the bug, squashing it to the door.

Minhyun takes the slipper off the surface, assessing the damage. "You can wash your hands at the sink outside if you need to," he says casually, as if he didn't just save Hyunbin from the flying creature whose flattened remains he is now picking up with a tissue.

"Thanks, hyung! You're a lifesaver!"

Minhyun laughs at that, a deep, pleasant sound that Hyunbin decides he wouldn't mind hearing more of. And when they leave the café that evening and Hyunbin happens to look back in the direction of the counter, coincidentally catching Minhyun's eyes and receiving a friendly smile, he thinks that maybe he just wouldn't mind seeing more of Minhyun in general.

 

\---

 

They're back in the café the next day.

It's not Hyunbin's choice, he swears. _Heejun_ wanted to come here again because they didn't get any cake yesterday. At least that's what Hyunbin told Minki earlier when the elder commented on it. Minki just smirked and announced he needed to get something from the back, asking Minhyun to take his order.

"What would you like, Heejun?" Minhyun asks, leaning slightly over the counter to look at the child. Heejun marches to the display fridge and points to the chocolate éclairs.

"I thought you wanted cake?" Hyunbin asks, receiving a blank 'uhhh' from the boy before he shakes his head and points to the éclair again. "I want that one." Hyunbin and Minhyun chuckle at the boy's antic while Minhyun punches the order in.

"And yourself? Anything that catches your eyes today?"

"Hmm…" He can't possibly say it out loud. "Maybe just coffee for me."

"Would you like to try the s'mores latte? It's new."

Hyunbin gestures for Heejun to come back to his side. The boy tends to wander is he's not closely watched. "Is it nice?"

"A lot of customers seem to like it."

"…But not you?" Minhyun gives an apologetic smile in response. "It's a bit too sweet for me. But don't let that stop you!" the smile is bright again, "A lot of other people really like it!"

"But what do _you_ like?" Hyunbin leans in just a bit while he asks. "Oh. I…" Minhyun couldn't answer immediately, seemingly flustered. Maybe he doesn't like any of the drinks here. "Um. I like the apricot oolong tea. Or the honey lemon for something cold." His gaze shifts downwards and away from Hyunbin's.

"I'll try the apricot tea then."

Minhyun looks back up with a smile and Hyunbin thinks that forgoing coffee today is worth it already.

 

\---

 

"Hyunbin-samchon, what are you looking at?" Heejun pauses in his demolishing of his chocolate dessert to look towards the counter.

"Hmm? Nothing. Do you need a napkin?" He takes a napkin to wipe the chocolate off Heejun's cheeks. He wasn't looking at anything, really, just spacing out while he sips his tea. The general direction he's facing just happened to have Minhyun in it. And Minki. How did Minhyun and Minki know each other anyway? Like, are they friends or are they just co-workers? He had only ever met Minki over club activities or at the café so he doesn't know his other circle of friends. Maybe he should ask him…

"You looked at  _them_. Over there." Heejun raises his arm to point but Hyunbin stops him. "Yes, Heejun." Kids nowadays are too observant for their own good. It's not like he was staring or anything.

"Why?" Heejun looks towards the counter again, trying to find a reason.

Hyunbin shrugs. "Maybe I was just curious."

Heejun blinks a few time, uncomprehending. "What is that?"

"Curious?" A nod. "It means you want to know about something."

Heejun continue to stare back at Hyunbin as he processes the information. Hyunbin can tell the exact moment the realization comes to him. "Then you should ask!" he concludes, eyes bright as he figures out the solution to his uncle's predicament. Hyunbin chuckles despite himself. "Okay Heejun. Maybe I'll ask."

Not two minutes later Hyunbin notices Heejun perking up from drinking his chocolate milk and then intently watching a certain someone who just passed by their table. Hyunbin watches how Heejun's head follows the guy's movement until he nears them again.

"Heejunnie, do you need anything?" Minhyun asks kindly, stopping by their table. He looks at Hyunbin for a second before turning his head back to Heejun.

"Hyunbin-samchon, you should ask now."

"Huh?" Both pair of eyes are on him.

"You said you want to know something."

Uh-oh.

"When you looked."

Heejun, please.

"So you should ask." He points towards Minhyun.

"Oh? Ahh!" Hyunbin laughs as he tries to come up with a response to  _his kid nephew calling him out_. Minhyun looks confused but is clearly humoring them, wearing a small smile on his face while he looks at Hyunbin with his head slightly tilted, waiting. Hyunbin feels heat creeping to his face.

"It's nothing, hyung."

Minhyun eyebrows lift. "Really?"

"Yeah, I… Was just wondering if I can get a fresh pot of tea." Hyunbin, you coward.

Minhyun chuckles quietly while he takes Hyunbin's pot. "Of course. I'll be right back. Do you want anything, Heejun?" The kid shakes his head, grinning brightly while he clutches his milk carton, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

It takes all of Hyunbin's willpower to not hide himself under the table in embarrassment as Minhyun walks away from them. Oh god he hopes Minhyun doesn't think he's a weirdo who stares at people or anything like that. And _he wasn't even staring!_ He huffs out a sigh, forcing himself to not glance towards the counter and turn his attention to his nephew.

Heejun doesn't suspect anything of course, as he proceeds to take out his colouring book and coloured pencils to work on a half-finished flower garden scene. "Hyunbin-samchon, what colour is this flower?" he asks, pointing to a five-petaled flower. Hyunbin wants to answer that it can be whatever colour he wants but Minhyun is now back at their table (not that Hyunbin had been watching him from the corner of his eyes or anything).

Minhyun places the teapot in front of Hyunbin and away from the book, and it is then that Hyunbin notices the pink tinge on the elder's ears. He looks at Hyunbin with that pretty smile again. "I assume that you like it?"

Oh yes.

No, wait. "The tea?" Thankfully Hyunbin's brain works faster than his mouth. "Yeah I really like it!"

Minhyun's smile becomes wider. "I'm glad."

"…Me too." Hyunbin had never felt more self-conscious about his own smile than he does now. But from Minhyun's look it doesn't seem like he finds it particularly offensive so that's good. Hyunbin wonders if it would've been better if _he_ was the server and Minhyun the customer. Then he could've done all those cliché moves like writing his number on a napkin or something. The elder drops his gaze to his feet and clears his throat.

"Alright I'll leave you to it. Enjoy your t–"

"Hyung."

Minhyun blinks twice before he answers. "Yes?" Maybe it's just his imagination but Hyunbin feels like Minhyun's ears had turned a shade deeper compared to half a minute ago.

"Can I…" Hyunbin is not entirely sure what he wants to follow that up with but he's spared the trouble when another café worker carrying a full tray suddenly appears next to Minhyun. He looks between the two of them before speaking.

"Minhyun-ah, can you go back to the counter?" He speaks quickly but softly. "Minki and I are occupied with the orders. You need to be at the cashier. Sorry." This last word is directed to Hyunbin. Hyunbin didn't get to react before he moves away in a haste.

"I have to go." Minhyun gestures towards the counter, looking embarrassed.

"I'm sorry for keeping you." He hopes Minhyun is not in any trouble. But Minhyun – kind, sweet Minhyun – smiles reassuringly even as he steps away. "Don't be!" Hyunbin watches him walk away but quickly diverts his gaze when he sees Minki looking at him.

He pours himself tea as he prays that Minki wasn't watching the whole encounter earlier. As he sits back to sip his tea (that thankfully tastes pretty good, considering he has to finish a second pot now) he sees Heejun looking at him like he's waiting for something, the hand holding a pink pencil hovering over his book.

"Samchon, are we coming here again tomorrow?"

 

Well.

 

\---

 

Tomorrow turns out to be 3 days later.

"Minhyun is not here."

"Oh. Huh?" Hyunbin looks blankly back at this grinning cashier. He's the one who said sorry to him three days ago. A quick scan reveals his name to be Aron. He must be new too.

"Umm… I'm not here for Minhyun." He's not. He's here because Heejun and himself wanted to have a quick bite after their movie outing. Something to fill their stomachs before dinner. And the café just happens to be on the way back.

"Of course." Cheeky Grin doesn't look like he believes it. "I'm sorry." He's definitely anything but that. "What can I get you?"

Despite his growing feeling of betrayal, Hyunbin orders for himself and Heejun, trying to ignore the fact that this Aron is smiling like he knows all of Hyunbin's secrets and is intent on teasing him to no end. Minki must've told him about their conversation two days ago. He internally sighs. He really shouldn't have asked about Minhyun.

And to think that he didn't even get Minhyun's number from that (not that he asked; Minki offered it to him in exchange of accompanying him to a Lady Gaga concert next month but Hyunbin said no). 

The Betrayer appears from the staff door, smiling widely when he sees Hyunbin. "Hey Hyunbin! Hi Heejun!" he greets in a chirpy tone. Hyunbin couldn't respond to that without a smile, especially when he looks genuinely happy to see them. Maybe he was too quick to jump to conclusions. Minki wouldn't do…

 

No. Is he—?

 

He's humming Lady Gaga. Hyunbin doesn't know a lot of Lady Gaga songs but that is unmistakably the start of Bad Romance that he's humming to while he takes out a cake from the fridge. And Aron looks like he's trying hard not to laugh as he hands back Hyunbin's card.

Feeling blood rushing to his face, Hyunbin goes off without a word, Heejun tailing him. He sits at the furthest table from the counter with his back facing it. Still reeling from embarrassment, he slumps forward on the table, his chin resting on the back of his hands.

Okay so maybe he was hoping to find Minhyun here today but that still doesn't warrant them teasing him like that. What if Minki told Minhyun about it too? Cringing at the thought, he looks up to see Heejun also resting his head on his hands across the table, looking at him. When Hyunbin lifts his head up, Heejun follows. He plops back down and so does the boy. He sticks his tongue out while crossing his eyes and Heejun tries to mimic that too, the both of them laughing at his attempt.

"What do you want to do tomorrow, Heejun?"

The boy's eyes lit up at the question. "Can we watch another movie?"

Hyunbin knows where this is going. "What movie?"

"The robot one!" Of course. They watched the trailer to that Transformers movie at least five times on the Now Showing screen while they were queuing for their tickets earlier, with Heejun having his eyes glued to the screen every time.

"Why do you want to watch that movie?"

"Because it has robots! And the robots are big!" His eyes widen as he undoubtedly recalls the trailer. "And they have weapons! Like Iron Man!" He puts his palm out towards Hyunbin as he demonstrates. Hyunbin slumps backward in his seat, pretending to get hit with his hand on his chest. He looks at Heejun is mock disbelief, eliciting a gleeful laugh from the boy. Heejun aims at Hyunbin again.

"Ahh!" Hyunbin jerks his body backwards, arms flailing—

"Oh!"

—and hits his hand on a hard surface before feeling cold liquid down his arm. He jumps up immediately, alarmed and also sorry, an apology ready on his tongue when he turns to see Minhyun ( _of course_  it's Minhyun) standing there looking equally surprised (and for a second Hyunbin wonders if Minhyun's heart skipped a beat like his, but he quickly dismisses the ridiculous thought). 

"Hyung, I'm so sorry." He hastily picks up the overturned glass on the tray though the damage is already done. Coffee is spilled all over the tray, on the bagel plate, and on the floor.

"No, I'm… Hyunbin, your sleeve…"

And on his sleeve.

"Oh, it's alright." He knew he should've worn short sleeves today. "It's not too bad." Coffee is dripping down from his sleeve to the floor.

"But it's coffee." Minhyun puts the tray on the table to inspect Hyunbin's sleeve. Hyunbin tries not to feel affected by the sudden close proximity but the gentle hands on his arm and the faint floral scent wafting above the smell of coffee are not helping. He looks at Minhyun's concerned face and wonders where this falls in the cliché scenario spectrum. This is not Minhyun slipping and falling with him swooping in heroically to catch him before he falls where they end up looking into each other's eyes and just holding on to each other for a heart-fluttering moment, but it sure feels close enough.

"…wash it at the sink." Minhyun's voice breaks through Minki's Bad Romance that's playing in his head.

"Hyung, it's okay. I just need some napkin or something. I'll clean it at home." He puts his other hand on Minhyun's to stop his fussing, though he quickly withdraws it when the elder looks up to him. "But, Hyunbin-ah, it's going to be harder to get the stain out if you leave it now." Minhyun points out. And Hyunbin thinks that he really couldn't refuse that face, not when it's brows are creased oh so delicately in a worried frown, and especially not when it's flushed a pretty shade of pink like that.

"Go. I'll watch over Heejun."

And that's how he finds himself inside the staff washroom again, running his sleeve under the tap but not really sure what he's doing. He just hopes it will come off in the washer later. For now…

He goes back to the dining room to find Heejun talking animatedly to Minhyun. There's no trace of spill on the floor and as he gets closer he can hear Minhyun saying "Really? Ahh…" to whatever it is that Heejun's telling him while he's putting down their drinks on the table.

"What are you two talking about?" Hyunbin watches how Minhyun's smiling expression turns to surprise as he looks at Hyunbin. "You're back. Are you alright?" As endearing as his worried face is, Hyunbin rather see him smile.

"Of course! I told you it was nothing." He notices the slight grimace on the elder's face as his eyes traveled to Hyunbin's rolled-up sleeves.

"I'm sorry. I should've been more careful."

"Hyung, it's okay. It's my fault, really." Hyunbin laughs sheepishly. "I'm just glad I didn't knock the tray out of your hands. We could've had a flying tray situation." Minhyun manages a small chuckle at that, though his eyes are still cast downwards.

"I thought you're not around today. Your friend said you're not here." Not that Hyunbin is complaining of course.

"My friend?" Minhyun looks up to Hyunbin in surprise before the realization comes to him. "Must have been Aron-hyung. Those two…" Minhyun turns towards the counter and Hyunbin looks too, to see Minki and Aron standing suspiciously close together behind the cashier. Aron looks shamelessly back at them, not even bothering to hide his grin, while Minki moves away and makes a show of wiping the spotless espresso machine.

"I hope they didn't tell you anything strange…" Minhyun mumbles almost to himself. He sighs audibly while he picks up the tray from the table. "I'll send you your bagel in a minute."

"Okay… Hyung, wait!" He's just noticing what Heejun is eating. "We didn’t order the cake. Did we?"

"No, that one's on me. For…that." He gestures towards Hyunbin's arms.

"Ah… You really didn't have to."

"I know, I just feel like I should make it up to you somehow." Minhyun looks downwards in embarrassment or guilt and Hyunbin has half the mind to grab Minhyun's arms and look him in the eyes to ask him to stop feeling guilty over that non-incident but then…

"Well if you really want to make it up to me I'd rather it be something else…" Hyunbin says with more bravado that he feels. He's glad he's not the blushing kind.

But Minhyun definitely is. "What…do you have in mind?" Hyunbin watches in fascination how the pink on the tip of his ears turn brighter.

"Maybe you can give me your number and I'll let you know?" Hyunbin hopes his smile doesn't betray how fast his heart is racing. Minhyun responds to the suggestion with a small laugh, relieving some of the anxiety Hyunbin is feeling, but not by much, because he's now starting to move away from them.

"I'll go and see if your bagel is ready now." And he's off before Hyunbin could say anything so Hyunbin is left with watching his retreating back. He stands there for a few moments in confusion before finally sitting down. He now regrets sitting here facing away from the counter. Was that an 'okay'? Or did Minhyun think it's so absurd that it doesn't even deserve an acknowledgement? Heejun offers the massacred cake to him (it's black forest – his favourite) so he picks on that while he prays he did not just bitten off more than he can chew.

Their bagel arrives unceremoniously and Hyunbin quickly seeks Minhyun's face but any thoughts of apologizing for his brashness are put on halt at the sight of Minhyun's smile. Minhyun moves away before he can decipher what the smile means but his bewilderment is quickly replaced with a nervous hope, because sticking out from under the bagel plate is a small rectangular piece of white paper…

 

\---

 

Minhyun watches Hyunbin and Heejun leave the premise hand-in-hand from the corner of his eyes. As much as he tries not to, he still looks up towards them when he notices Hyunbin glancing in his direction. Hyunbin gives a little cheerful smile, the kind of smile that Minhyun now associates with his name and face, and Minhyun can't help smiling back, hoping he doesn't look like a giddy schoolgirl with an obvious crush.

When his phone vibrates in his back pocket not too long after, he turns away from Minki and Aron to check it.

 

_Hi Minhyun-hyung, this is Hyunbin ^^_

 

Minhyun types a hi in response and stares at _'Kwon Hyunbin is typing…'_ at the top of the screen while he waits patiently for the reply.

 

_Are you free tomorrow? Do you want to join Heejun and I watch the Transformers movie?_

 

"Hyunbin sure moves fast." Minki's voice comes from behind him.

"Yeah, not like Minhyun." Aron joins in. The both of them are behind him, obviously reading his texts and waiting for him to reply.

"Umm… Can I have some privacy, please?" Aron backs away with his arms up but Minki is undeterred. He meets Minhyun's eyes with one eyebrow up, unimpressed. "Minki…" Minhyun pleads. The other guy rolls his eyes. "Fine, I'll go."

Another message comes in before Minhyun gets to reply.

 

_It's okay if you don't want to ^^_

 

Minhyun types quickly while he has some space because he knows the two won't let him be for long.

"Just so you know, this doesn't change anything." Minki calls out from the other end of the counter. "You took the offer two days ago even if you didn't do anything with it. So you still have to follow me to the Lady Gaga concert."

"I know, I know." He hesitates for just a second before hitting send.

 

_I would love to._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> And there it is! I finally write a Minhyunbin fic instead of just sneaking them into other fics! And this is way longer than I intended. Phew.
> 
> Also, this is unintentional but I realized that this fic could actually be from the same universe as my other café fic "It's for Charity". Like this could be how they met lol (shameless promotion is shameless)
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments are greatly appreciated!


End file.
